1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to locking mechanisms and, in particular, apparatus for attaching a hitch to a vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
Locking mechanisms, such as conventional hitch locks, are often used for attaching a hitch to a vehicle. Hitches are often releasably attached to a bed of the vehicle. Some conventional hitch locks use springs or other compressible biasing members to maintain the conventional hitch lock in a locking position or to meet other operational needs of the hitch lock. However, the inclusion of a spring or biasing member adds component costs and the effectiveness of the spring or biasing member may diminish over time.
Some conventional hitch locks use clips or the like, including cotter pins, to maintain a locking position. However, the use of such clips or the like increases component costs and may require the use of specialized tools for removal and insertion. Furthermore, such clips or the like may wear out unnoticed, thereby creating the risk of a sudden and unpredictable failure of the locking mechanism.
Other conventional hitch locks use operationally complicated locking mechanisms that involve a large number of components. However, such locking mechanisms require a user to perform a complicated multi-step procedure in order to operate the hitch lock, and have increased component costs.